ATA reacts to largest 1-day oil price gain in NYMEX history.
Press Release Summary:
Although ATA recognizes impact of financial crisis on Wall Street, weak dollar, and aftermath of Hurricane Ike, association believes record increase in oil price reflects impact of excessive energy speculation. ATA President and CEO, James C. May again called for bipartisan approach to reining in excessive energy speculation, stating that Congress must pass comprehensive energy plan or all Americans will pay the price as oil prices return to or exceed summer's record levels.
Original Press Release:
Air Transport Association Reacts to Largest One-Day Oil Price Gain in NYMEX History
Volatility Affirms Speculation's Role
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2008 - The Air Transport Association (ATA), the industry trade organization for the major U.S. airlines, today reacted to oil's largest one-day price gain in NYMEX history, stating that this record increase reaffirms that speculation is playing a significant role in driving up the price.
Reversing recent price decreases, today oil spiked at $130 per barrel, closing at $120.92 per barrel - the largest one-day price gain in NYMEX history. Although ATA recognizes the impact of the financial crisis on Wall Street, the weak dollar and the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, the unprecedented 16 percent jump over the weekend - from $104.55 per barrel last Friday to $120.92 per barrel today - also reflects the impact of excessive energy speculation.
"The market's extreme volatility suggests that speculators, who withdrew tens of billions of dollars from the commodities markets when Congress threatened to tighten oversight of excessive and harmful speculation, breathed a sigh of relief last week when action in the Senate seemed unlikely and returned to the energy markets in full force," said ATA President and CEO James C. May. "Well, speculators are back and prices are up."
May again called for a bipartisan approach to reining in excessive energy speculation, stating that Congress must pass a comprehensive energy plan or all Americans will pay the price as oil prices return to or exceed this summer's record levels.
ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For additional information about the industry, visit www.airlines.org.
